Jane Maurer & William Blair have had a long and successful involvement in the arts and are excited to invite you to take part in their latest creation!

"Astudia"

Jane Maurer – Dance Director:

Jane is a DEA certified dance instructor with over 25 years of teaching experience. She grew up as a member of the Olympia Ballet Company, and completed an extensive teacher’s training program encompassing tap, jazz, ballet, acrobatics, and musical theater. Her choreography credits include NFL Cheerleaders, The Seattle Sea Gals; the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia; many summer theater programs including Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella; industry showcases; and more! In addition, Jane is an award winning competition choreographer. Her students have won numerous awards including overall high scores, scholarships, and cash prizes. Jane has also been awarded the prestigious choreography award multiple times at various dance competitions. As a coveted instructor, she has taught Master Classes throughout the United States and Canada.

William is a professional musician with over 25 years of experience. Originally a piano student, he turned his focus to guitar after discovering the dynamic range of the instrument. His extensive music education started with top notch private instruction and eventually took him to Hollywood, California to attend Musicians Institute. William's unbiased passion for music is very evident. He is comfortable in all styles of music and has produced original works that cover the entire spectrum of musical genres. His music has been used for commercials, competition routines, and most recently, a nylon string solo show. He has performed all over the western half of the United States. His strong professional reputation in the Pacific Northwest secured him a spot in Washington State Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen's "Strategies for Youth Show." He has also worked for Legends in Concert, performing in "Woodstock Tribute Palooza." Aside from his performing career, he has developed a unique instruction method for teaching music. This along with his patient personality makes him an excellent instructor!

Lisa Pinkney has been dancing since she was only four years old and teaching for over ten years. Her training includes ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip-hop. A California native, Lisa studied at Backstage Academy of Dance in Turlock, CA where she performed in their senior company for many years in the production of “The Nutcracker,” plus many other shows and competitions. She has also danced for various colleges, and received her B.A. Degree in Communication Studies from California State University of Stanislaus. Her choreography for several competition teams has garnered awards and recognition for her students. She is very excited to be apart of Astudia Dance World and share her passion for dance!

Kim Hamilton

Our Customer Care Crew

These lovely ladies are here to help you to have the best Astudia experience possible!

Katie Kenner - Dance Instructor

Katie is a consummate professional and an accomplished choreographer with numerous performances to her credit. She has worked as a dancer, actress, magician’s assistant, and of course a dance instructor for many years. She has worked in a wide variety of forums with celebrities, athletes, and many other professionals of the performing arts world. She began her training studying the Ceccetti method of ballet in the San Francisco area. Her training also includes many styles of Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, and Ballroom. With her knowledge of ballroom dance, Katie brings a new genre of dance instruction to Astudia. Her ballroom training includes Salsa, Rumba, Cha Cha, East Coast and West Coast Swing. Her classes are sure to be a lot of fun!

Ami Khauv - Dance/Music Instructor

Ami is a phenomenal gymnast and a trained dancer, which is the perfect combination to bring high energy instruction to Astudia! If that isn't enough, she is also a trained musician. Ami attended Seattle Pacific University where she received her Bachelor of Arts as a music major. She is an avid musician of the Chinese dulcimer, violin, and guitar. Ami's unique blend of training and her willingness to share her knowledge makes her a perfect fit at Astudia!

Cherity Harchis - Dance Instructor

Cherity began dancing at the age of five, studying ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics. At seven she became a dance and vocal soloist with a traveling performing company. By age ten, Miss Cherity made her professional debut in various theatrical productions such as Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, The Miracle Worker, and The Sound of Music. It was during this time that Actor/Director; Dennis Hart from Hollywood CA, hand-picked her to become an original cast member of Broadway Babies. She has worked with artists such as Al Gilbert, Mallory Graham, Joe Tremaine and the Tony award winning choreographer Tommy Walsh. Cherity is a fantastic instructor who loves to share her knowledge and passion with our students.

Nahtalya Aubreane - Dance Instructor

Nahtalya began studying dance in 1994, and immediately knew she had found her niche. She studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, and Tap. In high school, Nahtalya learned dance history and composition in addition to her movement studies. Her first dance class as a teacher's assistant is where she realized teaching had "chosen" her. Nahtalya attended UARTS as a dance major and was the recipient of the University of the Arts' Promising Artist Award for artistic merit. Her professional performing credits include KAOS dance company, and the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. In addition to teaching dance, Nahtalya is a professional singer. It is very important to her to be part of a studio where teachers work as a team to give children the opportunity to realize their full potential and truly excel in the arts!